Raiders' 2026 draft will be defined by how Fernando Mendoza performs
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — This week for the Las Vegas Raiders will be known, for better or worse, as the Fernando Mendoza draft after he was taken first overall on Thursday night. The organization's 2007 NFL draft is still remembered as the flop that became quarterback JaMarcus Russell when he was the top pick.
It didn't help it also was an underwhelming draft class for the then-Oakland Raiders. Current Raiders management has been doing what it can to relieve stress on Mendoza by spending big in free agency , using nine other picks to try to add more talent and signing veteran quarterback in Kirk Cousins so that the rookie doesn't necessarily have to start right away. But Mendoza will play, whether that's at the beginning of the season or later.
Raiders coaches and officials need to know what they have in Mendoza — who won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to the national championship — and whether he indeed is their franchise QB. In the meantime, the Raiders seem genuinely excited to have Mendoza, even throwing a party for him at their indoor practice facility Friday that attracted about 2,000 fans. There is an optimism inside the Raiders facility that hasn't existed in some time, and general manager John Spytek made it clear he shut down offers that came his way to trade out of the top spot.
“I think any coach is excited to work with a big, athletic, talented thrower that is extremely smart and a very driven worker, and that’s been our experience with Fernando,” Spytek said. “That’s a great starting spot for any quarterback. ” In a bid to surround Mendoza with talent, the Raiders also drafted Texas A&M interior offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III in the third round, Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr.
in the fourth and Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson in the sixth. Las Vegas also sought defensive help, especially targeting the secondary by selecting Arizona safeties Treydan Stukes (second round) and Dalton Johnson (fifth) as well as cornerbacks Jermod McCoy of Tennessee in the fourth and Hezekiah Masses of California in the fifth. The Raiders took Auburn defensive end Keyron Crawford in the third round and North Carolina State defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland in the seventh.
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